Whale Watching and Ghost Stories

Recently, reports of sightings of whales breaching in Buzzards Bay in the commercial shipping lanes have appeared on social media. Someone suggested that they were coming here to view the sunset from Ned’s Point. At first, I thought that it was a joke. Then I read that someone else actually saw one through their binoculars. Must have been mighty powerful lenses. I know my little plastic ones won’t do. Still, we have had some very beautiful sunsets lately.

            Of course, these reports have spawned a number of other sightings. I just heard that one keen-sighted observer thought they saw a submarine surfacing between Molly’s Cove and the lighthouse. They weren’t sure because it submerged very quickly. It must have seen the person’s binoculars glistening in the afternoon sun through its periscope and figured their secret mission had been compromised.

            I’m guessing that it was the famous Sippican Sea Monster venturing over from Marion for a visit. I’m joking, I made that up.

            Another rumor floating around was that Oprah Winfrey, upset over the election results, has been thinking about leaving the country and was here scouting out the Bay Club.

            Speaking of unexpected sightings in the harbor, the sailboat Arabella, which was launched here with great fanfare two summers ago, was back for a short visit. According to its weekly YouTube channel video, the boat sailed down from Maine where it spent the summer. Steve Denette’s mom passed away this past summer, so he has been land-bound during her battle with cancer. Now he and his crew, Robin, Steve’s partner, and their dog Akiva, are resuming their dream cruise around the world.

            They said if anyone saw them to wave. I did but they didn’t wave back. I even wore my Acorn to Arabella hat. They must have been looking at the whales in the bay…or avoiding the submarine.

            We are not unfamiliar with strange sightings here in town. Just recently, Big Foot has been spotted roaming north of the village. Of course, you’ve heard how old Abner Harlow, former Town Clerk, is known to return from time to time to his old haunts at the Town Hall. Nobody has actually seen Abner…you’d need more that binoculars to spot him. After all, he’s a ghost…but the folks who work there have heard him. Abner was around when the whaler The Wanderer was searching for whales. I’ll bet he was at Ned’s Point hoping to catch a glimpse of our recent visitors.

            Calvin, the Library’s resident ghost, might have joined him. Investigators from the New England Ghost Researchers discovered Calvin when they spent the night in the library some years back. Calvin introduced himself and was reported to have said “I belong here.” In fact, when the library was first opened the custodian’s name was Calvin. Since the renovation, Calvin hasn’t been heard from. Maybe he had enough of ghost hunters sleeping in his home and slipped out of town on the submarine.

            Note to my loyal readers: Speaking of slipping away, this is the last of my weekly “Thoughts on…” columns (for a while?). It is time to take a break and learn how to paint again. Knowing me, if the muse strikes or something sticks in my craw, I’ll be back from time to time. Thanks for reading.

Thoughts on…

By Dick Morgado